


93 Minutes

by stellarmeadow



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-21
Updated: 2014-08-22
Packaged: 2018-02-14 01:32:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2172933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellarmeadow/pseuds/stellarmeadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Danny naked in Steve's bed wasn't exactly new. It wasn't old, either, or constant, though it had become a little more frequent lately. They hadn't really talked about it, though they hadn't exactly avoided talking about it, either. Sex was just one more thing they did without thinking about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This has been in the bunny farm for a while, and I'm so happy it's done! I'm posting as I edit, but the whole thing is completely drafted. 
> 
> PLEASE NOTE THAT I DELIBERATELY CHOSE NOT TO USE WARNINGS! Let that be a warning all on its own. If you're worried, email me, I'll let you know what I might've warned for if I'd used them. I don't want to give it away, and it's kind of too complicated to warn for anyway... *G*
> 
> Huge thanks to uxseven and smudgegirl for being my ~~flies under magnifying glasses~~ cheerleading squad and mistake finders on this one. They had to wait much longer between chapters, too! :)

Steve woke up slowly, not sure at first what was wrong. The sun wasn't quite up, though he could see the faint light beginning to invade the room. He checked the clock, the bright green 5:41 staring back at him, not helping. He hadn't overslept, so what the--

Movement in the bed beside him was his first clue. He rolled onto his back and turned his head to see Danny there, hair all over the pillow, eyes closed, covers shoved down enough to see that Danny was still naked.

And still there. 

Danny naked in Steve's bed wasn't exactly new. It wasn't old, either, or constant, though it had become a little more frequent lately. They hadn't really talked about it, though they hadn't exactly avoided talking about it, either. Sex was just one more thing they did without thinking about it. 

But Danny had always been gone when Steve woke up.

He knew better than to read too much into the fact that Danny was still sleeping soundly beside him. It had been a long two days and a bitch of a case--and the ones with kids always hit Danny the worst. They'd wound down with beers on the beach before moving things upstairs, leaving a trail of clothes behind them.

Danny probably just needed the sleep.

Steve tensed as Danny moved, but he just rolled over until he was half sprawled across Steve, throwing his arm across Steve's chest and settling his head half on Steve's pillow, still asleep. Or at least mostly still asleep--Danny's dick was pressing against Steve's hip, and Steve could feel that even if Danny wasn't up, part of him was getting there.

It felt good, like a snippet of someone else's life, where everything was normal and people actually stayed. But Steve knew better than to get too used to it. No one ever stayed, they weren't allowed, even if they wanted to. He'd long ago accepted that was his life, and he was fine with it. Some people were meant to have normal lives and families; others were meant to serve. That was life.

He also knew better than to hope it would change, because that was when Fate stepped in, laughing at him the whole time. 

Danny stirred again, moving against Steve, but this time his eyes opened. He blinked a few times, a sleepy smile spreading across his face at first. It stopped before it was finished and flattened out, small lines appearing between Danny's brows. 

Steve decided to treat it like everything else between them--ignore it. "Morning," Steve said. 

"Morning." 

Danny's voice was rough, and Steve's dick, already reacting to Danny's, had some immediate suggestions on how to handle this. Steve rolled onto his side, sliding a leg between both of Danny's, and leaning in for a kiss. 

There was something to be said for morning sex, when you were still half asleep, cocooned in warmth, almost like a dream, too perfect to be real. Danny's hands moved down Steve's back, gripping his ass to pull him in closer, sweat quickly slicking their skin, providing a relief from friction as their dicks brushed against each other between their bodies. 

He wanted to stay like that, to avoid the real world and just have this, heat and Danny and sex, forever. He knew better, though, so he focused on the way it felt, on how good it was as he went over the edge, Danny right there with him as always. 

When he caught his breath, Steve realized he was holding on a little tighter than he should. He loosened his hold, leaning back just enough to give Danny a kiss. He lifted his head, searching Danny's face, trying to figure out the expression there. 

"Steve--" Steve's phone rang, and Danny stopped. "Go see who died," Danny said, rolling onto his back and out of Steve's arms.

Steve tamped down on the irrational desire to throw the phone as he grabbed it off the nightstand. "McGarrett." 

"Sorry to call you this early, Commander," the Governor said, sounding far too awake. "But there's a situation developing with hostages in Kalihi and I'd like your team to get there as fast as you can. HPD is sending you the address." 

"We're on our way, sir." Steve put the phone down and looked at Danny. "Get dressed. We have to go."

***

Chin was already on scene when Steve and Danny pulled up. "What have we got?" Steve asked. 

"Looks like a domestic dispute gone bad," Chin said as Kono walked up.

"Is there any way for those to go good?" Danny asked.

"They don't usually go as bad as this one," Chin said. "Kid named Troy Akala apparently found out his girlfriend was cheating on him and decided to confront her. Problem is, she was working the overnight shift at the 7-11, and there were several customers inside getting their morning coffee."

Steve looked at the strip mall across the street, where he could just make out a figure moving around inside the 7-11. "Any communications?"

"He picked up when HPD called and said that if any cops even came into the parking lot he'd start tossing out people full of holes."

"Okay, " Danny said, "you said kid. How old is he?"

"Twenty-two."

"Old enough to know better," Danny said.

"But young enough not to care," Steve added. He studied the area for a moment. "Back door?"

Chin nodded. "Manager got here a few minutes ago with the key," he said, holding the key out. "There's an alarm, but he says it's never on when the store is open because the staff is in and out too much."

"And Akala's the only gunman?" At Chin's nod, Steve said, "Okay, Danny and I will go around back and see if we can get a jump on him. If it looks like there's no safe way to do it, we'll come back and regroup. You and Kono stay back, but keep an eye on the front door. Got it?"

Everyone nodded. Steve started down the street as if he was leaving, Danny by his side. When they were out of site of the 7-11, Steve crossed the street, making his way towards the back alley behind the store.

"So," Danny said, "you're not gonna pull any of your crazy Ninja shit, right?"

Steve glanced at him. "We're just gonna see if we can take him down safely without losing any of the hostages, Danny."

"See, I get that in theory, but in reality, I know you, babe. And you're likely to get in there and decide to take a risk, and I'd just like to remind you that not losing anyone is the goal here. Not just the hostages."

"I get that, thank you. I'm not going to do anything stupid," Steve said as they reached the back of the 7-11.

"Well that'll be a first," Danny said, "so I hope they have surveillance cameras to record the occasion."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Are you done?"

"Yes."

"So we can go in and save the hostages? Because I wouldn't want to tip this guy off that we're here if you suddenly remember anything else you'd like to say."

Something passed over Danny's face, gone before Steve could do more than realize it bore a passing resemblance to that look he couldn't place that morning. "No," Danny said, his voice odd. "I'm done."

He was missing something, Steve realized. He knew it. But he didn't have time for the distraction right now. "Okay, on three."

They walked the last few feet to the door and Steve slid the key in carefully, turning it slowly to make as little noise as possible. The lock gave, and Steve pushed the door slowly, looking inside as far as he could to make sure no one was watching. 

He had the door about a third of the way open when the alarm started blaring. He looked at Danny, not needing to say anything as they both started running. Steve was almost to the protection of a dumpster when he heard the shots. 

He turned and aimed, only to see Danny face down on the ground. Steve fired at Akala, who was leaning out around the door, but using it for cover. He missed, but Akala ducked behind the door, giving Steve just enough time to get to Danny to cover him. 

"Danny!" Steve said, darting his eyes between Danny and the back door. Danny was moving, little restless, aborted movements that Steve didn't like the look of at all. "Hey, come on, partner, you gotta get up! We need cover!"

Akala chose that moment to fire another round of shots, and Steve covered Danny's body and returned fire. His shots were joined by more firepower, and he looked behind him to see Chin, Kono and several HPD officers rounding the corner. 

He let them focus on Akala, checking Danny for wounds, his heart jumping into his throat when he saw the blood spreading its way across Danny's shirt between the top of his pants and the bottom of his vest. Steve stripped the vest off and pulled up the shirt, finding the hole where the bullet had penetrated Danny's back, but not being able to find a corresponding exit wound around front when he turned Danny onto his side. 

That was bad. That was so very bad.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Kono. "EMTs are bringing the bus around now," she said, her hand warm and reassuring. Steve checked his watch. 7:13. The EMTs were right there. Danny was going to be fine.

"Told you," Danny said, and Steve revised that thought. Danny's voice was thin, and when Steve felt his pulse it was weak. 

"Hey, save the 'I told you so' stuff for after they patch you up."

"Said you always get me shot," Danny said. "Look what...."

His eyes closed, and Steve checked his watch to see it was 7:14. Where was the fucking ambulance? It should be here by now. "Danny! Come on, stay with me!"

"Boss," Kono said, both hands on his shoulders. "Let the EMTs get to him."

She pulled him away and he watched as the EMTs did their work, but it didn't matter. He already knew the outcome. 

Danny was gone.

***

Steve let himself into the house, the door feeling like it weighed a hundred pounds as he pushed it open. He looked around the living room, spotting Danny's socks on the steps where they'd come off last night. They hadn't bothered to pick up clothes; Steve had grabbed Danny's spare ones from the car while Danny had showered.

He'd need to pick the socks up, to clean up the trail of clothes that led to the bedroom. The thought of doing that was almost worse, somehow, than when he'd cleaned his father's blood off the floor and walls. 

He'd only had to witness that death from thousands of miles away. 

He could still feel Danny in his arms, fading, nothing Steve could do to stop it, no matter how hard he tried. He always had a plan, something always came through, and they scraped through, cheating death. 

But not today. 

He'd always expected Danny to leave, but not this way. To get fed up with Steve's insanity, sure, or to be dragged away by Grace's life, and Rachel's weird vindictive streak where Danny was concerned. But not like this.

He went upstairs, avoiding even looking at the bed as he dropped his clothes outside the bathroom and stepped into the shower. The water was hot and clean as it washed away the dirt and blood. Too bad it couldn't wash away memories.

He toweled off as he walked back into the bedroom, tripping over his clothes and landing on the bed. It was a tactical error; the bed smelled of Danny and sex, and it was more than he could take right now.

He grabbed the first pair of shorts he could find and hurried down the stairs to find the kitchen, bypassing the beer in favor of the good stuff in the cabinets. 

No need for glasses--who was going to care?

He sat down on the couch, ignoring his phone as it rang in the bedroom upstairs. He wasn't going back up there, not yet. Whoever it was could leave a message. He'd get it tomorrow. Tomorrow he'd clean up and he'd go back to being the Super SEAL Danny had always accused him of being, with no emotions. A human robot, doing the job, and not letting it touch him. 

But tonight he was getting very, very drunk.

***


	2. Chapter 2

Steve woke up slowly, wondering at the nagging feeling at the back of his brain. The sun wasn't quite up, though he could see the faint light beginning to invade the room. He checked the clock, the bright green 5:41 staring back at him, not helping. 

He realized then that he was in bed. He didn't remember climbing the stairs and crawling into bed, but then he didn't remember much beyond when he'd finished off the first bottle. Though why he didn't have a hangover was a puzzle as well. He'd drunk enough to deserve a jackhammer in his skull and the need to go toss up every bit of alcohol still left in his stomach.

Movement in the bed behind him made him jump, and he turned around quickly to see a blinking Danny waking up with a frown.

"Danny?" 

Steve knew his voice was somewhere between wonder and panic, and Danny clearly took it the wrong way. "Sorry," Danny said, stretching, though Steve didn't miss the way Danny scooted away a little as he did it. "I meant to get up and go home, but I think that case wiped me out."

Okay, what the actual fuck? "Case?"

"The kidnapped kids?" Danny was looking at him as if he was losing it, though, to be fair, Steve was wondering the same thing. "The human traffickers?" Danny moved a little closer, peering at Steve's face. "Did you hit your head yesterday or something?"

"No," Steve said quickly. "No, sorry, just...I had the strangest dream." Which was the only explanation. He'd dreamed Danny's death. Danny was right here, in Steve's bed. Naked. "One of those ones that seemed so real that I was confused when I woke up here, that's all. Sorry."

"Oh." Danny moved closer again, and Steve felt himself relax a little. Whatever offense Danny had taken at Steve's initial reaction, it seemed to be gone now. "Wanna talk about it?"

"No." Steve very much wanted to forget it. Wanted to forget the incredibly realistic feeling of Danny bleeding out in his arms. 

So he pulled the real thing into his arms instead, warm and alive and smiling. Steve could feel the smile against his neck as Danny started making his way down Steve's chest, then further, taking the covers with him, until he reached Steve's dick.

Steve knew how talented Danny's mouth was, but he wondered if Danny had been holding back before now, because this was more amazing than ever. Or maybe it was just the remnants of the dream holding on, making it ten times better just because he knew what it would feel like to lose Danny.

Not that he wouldn't lose Danny eventually, but he had him now, so he shoved that thought aside in favor of pushing up into Danny's mouth, enjoying the privilege of getting his hands in Danny's hair and holding on, guiding Danny's head to just the right angle for, yeah, that, there. Fuck, this was better than reality could be, was the last thought he had before he lost himself completely.

When he caught his breath, Steve realized Danny had rolled onto his back and was jacking himself, eyes on Steve. Steve turned onto his side, sliding one leg over one of Danny's to spread his legs a little as Steve sat up, straddling one of Danny's thighs. 

He batted Danny's hand away, taking Danny's dick in his hand, friction making it a little too rough. Steve put his hand up to Danny's mouth and let him lick, wetting Steve's hand until it was just right, before he moved his hand back down to Danny's dick.

Danny was close already, and it didn't take long before he was bucking up, one foot pushing against the bed, almost dislodging Steve. But he refused to move, refused to be denied the beautiful sight of Danny coming undone at Steve's hand. 

Steve leaned down, wrapping his arms around Danny, kissing his neck, reveling in the feel of Danny in his arms. It wasn't until Danny shifted that Steve realized he was holding on a little tighter than he should. He loosened his hold, leaning up just enough to give Danny a kiss. He lifted his head, searching Danny's face, trying to figure out the expression there. 

"Steve--" Steve's phone rang, and Danny stopped. "Go see who died," Danny said, rolling onto his back and out of Steve's arms.

It was so much like the dream that Steve had to resist the urge not to answer the phone as he grabbed it off the nightstand. "McGarrett." 

"Sorry to call you this early, Commander," the Governor said, sounding far too awake. "But there's a situation developing with hostages in Kalihi and I'd like your team to get there as fast as you can. HPD is sending you the address." 

Okay, that was too much coincidence for his brain to handle. "Sorry?"

"There's a hostage situation in Kalihi," the Governor said, his impatience clear in his voice. "I need your team there now."

He shoved the weirdness out of his brain. "We're on our way, sir." Steve put the phone down and looked at Danny. "Get dressed. We have to go."

***

Chin was already on scene when Steve and Danny pulled up. "What have we got?" Steve asked. 

"Looks like a domestic dispute gone bad," Chin said as Kono walked up.

"Is there any way for those to go good?" Danny asked, as Steve tried to ignore the fact that he knew this conversation, as if he had lived it once already.

"They don't usually go as bad as this one," Chin said. "Kid named Troy Akala apparently found out his girlfriend was cheating on him and decided to confront her. Problem is, she was working the overnight shift at the 7-11, and there were several customers inside getting their morning coffee."

Steve looked at the strip mall across the street, where he could just make out a figure moving around inside the 7-11. Just like in his dream. "Any communications?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"He picked up when HPD called and said that if any cops even came into the parking lot he'd start tossing out people full of holes."

"Okay, " Danny said, "you said kid. How old is he?"

 _Twenty-two._ Steve said in his head, a second before Chin said, "Twenty-two."

"Old enough to know better," Danny said.

"Where's the key to the back door?" Steve asked.

Chin didn't seem surprised that Steve asked. He just held out the key. "Manager got here a few minutes ago with it," he said. "There's an alarm, but he says it's never on when the store is open because the staff is in and out too much."

"Akala might have had them arm it as a warning system," Steve said, suddenly seeing where the dream had gone wrong and where he had a chance to fix it. Maybe that had been the point of the dream. Maybe it had been a warning. 

"It's possible," Chin said. "He said the employees all know the code to arm and disarm it."

"Cut the power to the building," Steve said. "Danny and I will go around back and see if we can get a jump on him. If it looks like there's no safe way to do it, we'll come back and regroup. You and Kono stay back, but keep an eye on the front door. Got it?"

Everyone nodded, so Steve started down the street as if he was leaving, Danny by his side. The feeling of déjà vu was like an itch under his skin, but Steve tried to ignore it. When they were out of site of the 7-11, Steve crossed the street, making his way towards the back alley behind the store.

"So," Danny said, "you're not gonna pull any of your crazy Ninja shit, right?"

 _Déjà vu,_ Steve told himself. _Just déjà vu._ "Nobody is dying today, Danny."

"See, I get that you believe that, but in reality, I know you, babe. And you're likely to get in there and decide to take a risk, and I'd just like to remind you that nobody dying is, in fact, the goal here. And that doesn't just mean the hostages."

"I get that, thank you. I'm not going to do anything stupid. I've learned my lesson," Steve said as they reached the back of the 7-11.

"Call Ripley's," Danny said. "You learned a lesson."

Steve ignored that. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Listen," Steve said, looking Danny in the eye, the dream replaying itself in his head, "whatever happens, just stay with me, okay?"

Something passed over Danny's face, gone before Steve could do more than realize it bore a passing resemblance to that look he couldn't place that morning. "Yeah," Danny said, his voice odd. "Stay with you. Got it."

The words were different, but Steve was still missing something. He knew it. But he didn't have time for the distraction right now. "Okay, on three."

They walked the last few feet to the door and Steve slid the key in carefully, turning it slowly to make as little noise as possible. The lock gave, and Steve pushed the door carefully, looking inside as far as he could see to make sure no one was watching. 

The alarm stayed silent as they made their way carefully through the small, dark stockroom to the door to the store itself. Steve chanced a look through the window, three quarters of the way up the door, to see that Akala's attention was focused on the cops outside. Clearly he was expecting an ambush while the power was off, and he hadn't thought about it cutting the alarm.

Steve motioned to Danny that he was going to the left, and Danny should go to the right. If they were lucky, they would be able to flank Akala and take him out before anyone knew what was happening. 

They went through the door, staying low to the ground. Steve saw Danny take up position at the edge of a row of cookies before Steve went around the other end, pausing by an end cap of Doritos. 

Three of the hostages were in view, all of them watching Akala at first. Then one turned his head, a kid who couldn't be more than sixteen, and saw Steve. He covered his mouth as soon as he made the noise, but it was enough, and Akala whirled around. Steve ducked back behind the chips, but he heard a shot, realizing only as he did that it wasn't aimed in his direction. Several more shots rang out, and Steve barreled around the corner, gun blazing at Akala, who went down and went still.

Right beside Danny, who was on his back, barely moving. 

Steve ran over to Danny, calling for backup and an ambulance. He turned Danny over onto his side, and saw the blood spreading its way across Danny's shirt, across his abdomen, between the top of his pants and the bottom of his vest. 

Steve stripped the vest off and pulled up the shirt, finding the hole where the bullet had penetrated Danny's abdomen, but not being able to find a corresponding exit wound on his back.

The opposite of his dream, but the same result. Bad. Very bad. 

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Kono. "EMTs are bringing the bus to the front door," she said. Steve checked his watch. 7:13. The EMTs were right there. Maybe it wouldn't be like the dream. Maybe he'd changed enough.

"Sorry," Danny said, and Steve revised that thought. Danny's voice was thin, and when Steve felt his pulse it was weak. 

"Hey, save the apologies for after they patch you up."

"I said I would stay," Danny said. "But...."

His eyes closed, and Steve checked his watch to see it was 7:14. Where was the fucking ambulance? "Danny! Come on, you said you'd stay with me!"

"Boss," Kono said, both hands on his shoulders. "Let the EMTs get to him."

She pulled him away and he watched as the EMTs did their work, but it didn't matter. He already knew the outcome. He'd lived it twice now

Danny was gone.

***

The location of the shooting, the wound, and the cleanup were all a little different than the dream, but coming home was just the same. The door weighed a ton, Danny's socks were on the stairs, and the alcohol was the only thing Steve wanted.

Well, he wanted Danny, but....

He felt an ache in his chest, something he wasn't sure he could ever get rid of. It was so much easier when you went from place to place, working with different teams, never stopping to get close to people. 

Even Catherine had been a more of a friend with benefits. For years they hadn't stayed in touch beyond favors and sex, and when they'd tried to be more, he couldn't do it. Freddie was the only person he'd stayed close to for years, and he'd ended up leaving the Navy in part to try to get rid of that pain after Freddie had died.

Danny had been a very effective painkiller, filling up all the dark places Steve hadn't realized he'd had so many of. Danny had wormed his way in, deeper than Freddie, deeper than anyone. Steve had done his best to avoid letting anyone get that deep, because he knew everyone left. And he kept telling himself Danny would leave.

In the end it hadn't helped. He'd let Danny in too far, and now he realized it too late. Because Danny was gone, and Steve couldn't just pick up the phone or take a flight to go get him back. Only now did he realize that Danny couldn't have left any other way. 

If Danny had left Five-0, Steve would've changed anything Danny asked to get him back. If Danny had left Oahu, Steve would have followed him anywhere. Screw Danny leaving--he hadn't needed to worry about that. Steve wouldn't have left _him_. 

Why was it always death that brought such clarity?

He'd been contenting himself with this on again, off again casual thing between them, not realizing it was his attempt to keep from getting hurt. And he'd failed on so many levels he didn't even know where to start counting.

Best to stop counting and start drinking. Then tomorrow he could start working on making sure he didn't let anyone get that close again.

***


	3. Chapter 3

Steve woke up slowly, fighting consciousness the whole way. When he woke up, it would be to a world without Danny, and he didn't want that. Better to stay asleep and not have to deal with it. 

The brush of skin against his shattered his sleep, though, as a warm, naked body pressed against him. He was still asleep, then, had to be, because Danny was dead. 

Steve opened his eyes and looked to the side to see Danny, eyes closed, but definitely alive and breathing. 

"What the fuck?" Steve muttered.

It woke Danny, whose eyes went wide as he woke. "Sorry," Danny said, stretching, though Steve didn't miss the way Danny scooted away a little as he did it. "I meant to get up and go home, but I think that case wiped me out."

This was more weirdness than Steve's brain could handle. "Case?"

"The kidnapped kids?" He didn't need the cautious look Danny was giving him to know he was losing his mind. "The human traffickers?" Danny moved a little closer, peering at Steve's face. "Did you hit your head yesterday or something?"

"No," Steve said quickly. "No, I, uh...." _You've just died twice in the last two days and I'm not sure what the fuck is going on,_ seemed like it might not be the wisest thing to say. 

It was the truth, but he still didn't think it was wise. 

"Sorry," Steve said, scrubbing his face with one hand, " I just...I had the strangest dream." It hadn't been a dream. Neither time. He was sure of it. And yet Danny was right there, in Steve's bed. Naked. "One of those ones that seemed so real that I was confused when I woke up here, that's all. Sorry."

"Oh." Danny moved closer again, and Steve felt himself relax a little. As it had the day before, the words took care of whatever offense Danny had taken at Steve's initial reaction. "Wanna talk about it?"

"No." Steve very much wanted to forget it. Wanted to forget the incredibly realistic feeling of Danny bleeding out in his arms. He also wanted to know why it seemed to keep happening, and what he could do to stop it.

He wasn't sure how many times he could lose Danny before he really _did_ lose his mind completely.

But the real thing was there now, and Steve had missed him so much. He pulled Danny into his arms, warm and alive and smiling. Steve could feel the smile against his neck as Danny started making his way down Steve's neck to his chest, then further, taking the covers with him, until he reached Steve's dick.

Given the revelations of the day that apparently never was, Steve had a new level of appreciation for the fact that this was Danny. Steve remembered the ache yesterday when he'd come home, Danny dead and gone, and nothing but years alone ahead of him. 

He tried to squeeze that memory out of his head and focus on here and now, pushing up into Danny's mouth, enjoying the privilege of getting his hands in Danny's hair and holding on, guiding Danny's head to just the right angle for, yeah, that, there. He wasn't sure how to live without this, was the last thought he had before he lost himself completely.

Steve turned onto his side after a moment, finally breathing again, to see Danny had rolled onto his back and was jacking himself, eyes on Steve. Steve sat up, slow straddling Danny's thighs, just above the knees, eyes on Danny's the whole time.

Steve lowered his head, moving Danny's hand out of the way to slide his mouth over Danny's dick slowly, Steve's lips stretching around it, careful of his teeth, wanting to make this the best Danny had ever had. 

Maybe if it was good enough, this time he could keep Danny. 

Danny was close already, and it didn't take long before he was bucking up, his dick pressing hard into Steve's mouth. He heard Danny's warning, felt Danny's hand on the side of his head, but Steve wasn't letting up. 

He wanted everything, in case....

Danny shouted, pouring himself down Steve's throat. Steve swallowed hard, trying to catalogue everything all at once--the taste, the way Danny's voice broke on his shout, the way Danny felt under him, the smell of Danny's skin and sweat as it mixed with Steve's. 

If there really was a Heaven, he hoped it was something like this.

Steve let Danny slip out of his mouth at last, resting his head on Danny's stomach a moment before he sat up, giving Danny a smile. Something was odd about Danny's expression, one Steve remembered from the other days that hadn't happened, and he searched Danny's face, trying to figure out the expression, knowing it had to be important. 

"Steve--" Steve's phone rang, and Danny stopped. "Go see who died," Danny said, rolling onto his back and out of Steve's arms.

If this day happened again, he was turning off the fucking phone. "McGarrett." 

"Sorry to call you this early, Commander," the Governor said, sounding far too awake and painfully like a broken record, at least to Steve. "But there's a situation developing with hostages in Kalihi and I'd like your team to get there as fast as you can. HPD is sending you the address." 

Time to fix this. "We're on our way, sir." Steve put the phone down and looked at Danny. "Get dressed. We have to go."

***

Once again, Chin was waiting as Steve and Danny pulled up. "What have we got?" Steve asked, because it would've looked weird if he'd known already.

"Looks like a domestic dispute gone bad," Chin said as Kono walked up.

"Is there any way for those to go good?" Danny asked, and Steve grit his teeth.

"They don't usually go as bad as this one," Chin said. "Kid named Troy Akala apparently found out his girlfriend was cheating on him and decided to confront her. Problem is, she was working the overnight shift at the 7-11, and there were several customers inside getting their morning coffee."

Akala was moving around inside the 7-11, just like before. "What does he want?" Steve asked automatically.

"He picked up when HPD called and said that if any cops came into the parking lot he would start tossing out people full of holes."

"Okay," Steve said, because he knew the rest of the conversation. "Cut the power to the building. I'm going in the back to see if I can get a jump on him. If it looks like there's no safe way to do it, we'll come back and regroup. You guys stay back, but keep an eye on the front door. Got it?"

Everyone nodded, so Steve started down the street, but Danny grabbed his arm. "You're not gonna pull any of your crazy Ninja shit, right?"

 _No, because you'll be over here. Safe._ "Nobody is dying today, Danny."

"See, I get that you believe that, but in reality, I know you, babe. And you're likely to get in there and decide to take a risk, and I'd just like to remind you that _no one_ dying is the goal here. And that doesn't mean just the hostages."

"I'm not going to do anything stupid. I've learned my lesson," Steve said. He'd learned it painfully, and hopefully this time it will have paid off. 

"Call Ripley's," Danny said. "You learned a lesson."

Steve ignored that. Again. "Can I go now?"

Something passed over Danny's face, gone before Steve could do more than realize it bore a passing resemblance to that look he couldn't place that morning. The one he kept seeing. "Yeah," Danny said, his voice odd. "Just be careful."

The words were different, but once again Steve was still missing something. He knew it. "Okay. Just stay here. All right?"

"Yeah."

Steve made the now familiar trip around to the back of the 7-11. He entered the same as he had the day before, going through small, dark stockroom to the door to the store itself. A quick check through the window showed that Akala's attention was once again focused on the cops outside. 

Steve went through the door, staying low to the ground. He saw the same three hostages as yesterday, and he ducked back so he wouldn't get seen this time. 

Shots rang out, and Steve heard glass breaking as Akala shouted, "Fucking pigs!" 

Steve jumped up, seeing Akala diving through the broken window, shooting wildly. He went down, and Steve ran out to see Akala lying face down in a quickly growing pool of blood. 

He looked across the street to find Danny, but didn't see him, only HPD and EMTs running forward. He saw Chin and Kono, kneeling around a body, but it took a moment for Steve to realize was it was Danny, in the middle of the parking lot. 

Steve ran over to kneel beside Danny, heedless of the blood on the ground beside him. "Danny, you have to stay," Steve said urgently. "Don't do this to me again!" 

"I wanna stay," Danny said, but then his eyes closed. 

Steve felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Kono. "Boss," Kono said, both hands on his shoulders. "Let the EMTs get to him."

Steve checked his watch. 7:13. The EMTs were right there. But he knew it wouldn't matter.

He watched as the EMTs did their work, but he already knew the outcome, even before he looked down to see his watch read 7:14. He'd changed things, but the result was still the same.

Danny was gone.

***

He paid more attention that afternoon. Did some digging on Akala, tried to find out what had caused it, what time it had started, if there was something he could do in the precious ninety-three minutes he had between waking up and Danny's death.

He checked the HPD call logs to find out that the call to the 7-11 had gone in at 5:28, so no help there. That was already set in motion by the time he woke up. Akala had a history of trouble--petty crimes, previous domestic complaints, even with the current girlfriend. The kind of guy you always wondered why he hadn't been locked up only after he'd already killed someone. 

If only Steve could go back an extra day, he could avoid the whole thing. Find a way to take Akala out of the equation, keep this whole thing from happening. So many options if he had a day.

But he only had ninety-three minutes. 

He was looking at Akala's record on his tablet when he felt a hand on his shoulder, accompanied with a soft, "Boss?"

He looked up to see Kono there. "What?"

"Why don't you go home? We got this."

She didn't get it--how could she? She thought he was just agonizing over what could've been, not planning how to fix it. And he couldn't exactly explain it, because saying, _No, it's okay, I've just lived this day three times now and trying to figure out how to fix it on the fourth,_ would certainly get him brought in front of a shrink, at the very least. "I'm fine," he said.

"Steve." Chin's voice came from a few feet away, and Steve turned his head to find the same expression on Chin's face that had been on Kono's. "Go home. We can handle things today. You'll need...."

He trailed off too late--Steve knew what that meant, too. He'd need some rest to deal with Danny's funeral.

But there wasn't going to be a funeral. He'd see to that.

He couldn't see to it with people watching him like a hawk, asking questions and trying to distract him, though. "Right," he said, closing his tablet and standing. "I'm gonna go home." 

"You need a lift?" Kono asked.

Steve shook his head. "I'll be okay." He picked up the tablet. "I just need some time alone. I'll call you guys in the morning, okay?"

He could still see the concern written all over their faces, but they'd never known how to push him quite the way Danny did when he needed it. And he really didn't need it; they just didn't know that. 

He didn't have time to worry about changing that now, though. He needed every available minute to figure out how to use the ninety-three minutes that counted tomorrow. 

***

As soon as he got home he sat down, tablet open, notepad on his lap. There was something he was missing, there had to be. Some reason this kept happening as opposed to just staying permanent. He was meant to change something, that was the only explanation. But what?

He only had ninety-three minutes, so he started by listing everything that happened in that time in each day. He shut down his emotions as best as his training allowed under the circumstances. Emotion wouldn't help Danny now; only reason would.

Once he has his list of everything that happened, he identified all the points where he could make changes. So many in such a short amount of time, but he was good at his job because he was meticulous when he needed to be. 

The list took up the page by the time it was done, but he was satisfied that it was exhaustive, at least with his current knowledge. He'd make the list every day with new information if he had to. Whatever it took to save Danny.

He didn't consider the fact that he might only have a finite number of chances. Clearly somebody upstairs wanted him to change something and keep Danny from dying. He assumed that meant he'd get as many chances as it took to make that happen.

Assuming anything else would drive him insane.

***


	4. Chapter 4

Steve woke with a start, needing only a second to orient himself. The feel of Danny in bed beside him was warm and reassuring--he'd been right so far about getting more chances to fix things. He glanced at the clock, the familiar 5:41 staring back at him.

Right, first things first. He'd decided the easiest way to keep Danny from dying was to keep Danny away from the scene altogether. So Steve shut off his phone, watching the screen blank out completely to make sure it was truly off. 

He turned around in the bed to watch Danny, face just visible in the moonlight. Steve had looked at him a million times in everything from wonder at what an amazing father and friend he was to anger, even when he'd known Danny was right most of the time. 

But he'd never really noticed how different it was, looking at Danny compared to looking at anyone else, and he hated that it had taken Danny dying in his arms for Steve to realize it. He just thanked God or whoever that he was getting a chance to fix it. 

Danny woke, blinking a few times, a sleepy smile spreading across his face. It stopped before it was finished and flattened out, small lines appearing between Danny's brows. 

The move was familiar from the first time they'd played out this day, but Steve still didn't know what to make of it. So he filed it away. "Morning," Steve said. 

"Morning." 

Danny's voice was rough, and Steve's dick reacted to that, along with all the realizations he'd had over this torture. He slid a leg between both of Danny's, and leaned in for a kiss. Steve wanted to make this last, not just because it was that much more amazing now that he realized how important Danny was to him, but also because he was hoping it would keep Danny from getting out of bed and finding out some other way that there was a crime in progress. 

When they were done, Steve held on a little tighter, a little longer, than he probably should've. Given the way Danny was looking at him when he finally pulled back, Steve removed the 'probably' from that statement. 

He pulled his head back, searching Danny's face, trying to figure out the expression there. 

"Steve--" Danny's phone rang, and he stopped. 

Shit. He should've realized the Governor's next call would be to Danny. "What?" Steve said, stalling. Maybe the Governor would give up. 

"It could be Grace," Danny said, rolling onto his back and out of Steve's arms. 

Steve rolled onto his back and covered his eyes with his arm, listening as Danny said, "Yes, sir. I'll get in touch with him and we'll be on scene soon."

Danny hung up the phone, already climbing out of bed. "Your phone's not ringing." 

"That's odd," Steve said. He looked at it as if he didn't know what was wrong, then pushed the power button. "It was off."

Danny glanced at him, frown firmly set in place. "How'd that happen?"

Steve shrugged. "Technology."

"Lucky thing mine was on."

"Yeah. Lucky," Steve said, making a note to take care of that next time, if he had to. "Go get your stuff from the car and let's go."

***

"What the hell are you doing?" Danny asked as Steve turned onto the H1.

"Driving?"

"Kalihi is the other way, dumbass."

Steve glanced at him. "I grew up here, Danny," Steve said, hoping that the fact he was full of shit didn't show on his face as he added, "I think I know which way Kalihi is." 

Danny stared at him. "What the actual fuck, Steve?"

That was Danny's no more bullshit tone, and Steve winced as he looked out the side window before making a show of looking around. "Shit, you're right," he said, his tone sounding false to his own ears. "Sorry, I just...." Steve scrubbed his face. "I guess that case rattled me yesterday."

He didn't mean the case Danny thought, but the truth of it allowed the words to be believable. "It was a rough one," Danny said, his voice softer. "Just get off here and loop back around."

"I really did grow up here," Steve said.

"Yeah, and you're doing such a great job of navigating today that I'm thinking I need to learn how to use Google Maps."

Steve shot him a glance. "Like you don't use Google Maps every time you leave your neighborhood without me?"

"Shut up," Danny said, laughter clear in his tone, but his face still held a trace of concern. 

Great. The last thing that Steve needed was Danny thinking he had to follow him in because he was acting weird. 

He headed for Kalihi, hoping they'd be too late, but even with Steve driving slower than he normally would, it was 7:10 when they got there. Four minutes left. Three, really, if things played out the same way. 

Steve left the Camaro on the road and hurried out, Danny close behind, to catch up with Chin and Kono. "What have we got?" Steve asked, because it would've looked weird for him to know what was going on, especially since he didn't even take the call. 

"Looks like a domestic dispute gone bad," Chin said.

"Is there any way for those to go good?" Danny asked.

"Just one shooter?" Steve asked before the all-too-familiar conversation could continue. He was running out of time. 

Chin said, "Yeah, kid named Troy Akala apparently found out his girlfriend was cheating on him and decided to confront her. Problem is, she was working the overnight shift at the 7-11, and there were several customers inside getting their morning coffee."

Steve could see Akala moving around inside the 7-11. "Kono, got your sniper rifle?"

"Yeah, in my car," she said. "I was going to the range this morning." 

Thank God, maybe something had gone right. "Get it. Now." He checked his watch. 7:12. What if Kono missed? What if Akala got a shot off and got lucky? "Danny and I will go around back," Steve said, "and see if we can get in the back door." 

With any luck, they'd be on their way around the building when whatever was going to happen happened.

"Hang on," Danny said, grabbing Steve and pulling him back. "We need to coordinate with HPD."

Steve glanced at the 7-11. They were right in front of the windows. If anything went south they'd be in the line of it. "No. No, we don't," Steve said, tugging Danny away from that spot, with Danny resisting, surprise etched on his face. "Time is of the essence, Danny. If he sees Kono setting up--"

A loud noise, something like a gunshot, sounded, more shots flying as people screamed. Steve dove behind the nearest car and returned fire over the hood until the firing stopped from the other side of the road. Akala's body was hanging halfway out of the broken window, his gun on the ground in front of him. 

Steve looked around, seeing Danny lying on the ground a foot away, face down. He'd almost made it to cover, but not quite fast enough. Steve scrambled over to him, seeing the pool of blood growing underneath him as he turned Danny over. 

The wound was the same, and Steve knew the outcome. Danny blinked up at him, managing an, "I'm sorry...." before his eyes closed. 

Steve checked his watch, the 7:14 glaring at him like an accusation. 

***

A car backfire. A fucking car backfire. That had been the sound that had spooked Akala into firing, and cost Danny his life. 

How the hell was Steve supposed to adjust for that? 

He pushed the door open to the house, grabbed the notepad and pen, and sat down on the couch to start his list over again.

***


	5. Chapter 5

Steve had shut both cell phones off and was in the living room about to unplug the landline when he heard footsteps on the stairs. Steve turned around to see Danny, wearing nothing but his boxers. "Calling someone in the middle of the night?" Danny asked.

"I, uh...no. I just thought I heard it ring, but when I came downstairs the line was dead."

Danny picked up the phone, listened for a dial tone, and hung it up again. "Seems to be working now."

"Yeah." _Fuck._

"Sorry about falling asleep," Danny said, around a yawn. "I think that case had me beat."

"Don't worry about it. I--"

The house phone rang, and Steve sighed, picking it up. "McGarrett."

"Sorry to call you this early, Commander," the Governor said, sounding far too awake. "But there's a situation developing with hostages in Kalihi and I'd like your team to get there as fast as you can. HPD is sending you the address." 

"We're on our way, sir." Steve put the phone down and looked at Danny. "Get dressed," Steve said, already trying to figure out what to change next. "We have to go."

***

He tried getting Kono to set up the sniper rifle faster, and sent Danny to coordinate with HPD behind a barrier. Akala saw Kono a second before she shot and dove. The door shattered, and a hostage ran out. Before Steve could do anything about it, Danny ran to cover her, and Akala shot him down. 

It was Akala's last move before he died. Steve ran to Danny, but he already knew what would happen as his clock read 7:14.

***

Steve's list of things he hadn't tried was growing short. 

He looked at the list, wondering what he was missing. The thought triggered a memory of a face of Danny's he'd seen each time, the one that made Steve wonder what he was missing there, too.

Maybe the secret wasn't in Steve changing things. Maybe it was in Danny knowing what was coming and changing them.

Danny would think he was crazy. But he wouldn't be able to deny Steve knowing everything that's going to happen before it happens. Even Danny had to believe after that. 

Steve put the list down, his plan of action set. Now he just had to wait. 

***

The 5:41 was glowing in the dark, and seriously, Steve was going to do everything he could to sleep until at least 5:42 for the rest of his life, because he never wanted to see that time again as long as he lived. 

But first he had work to do. "Danny," Steve said, shaking him. "Hey, Danno. Wake up."

Danny woke up, blinking up at Steve for a moment before he frowned. "Shit, sorry," Danny said, scooting back. "Must've fallen asleep."

"It doesn't matter," Steve said, waving a hand. "Listen, I have something to tell you, and about 92 minutes to get you to believe me and fix it."

Danny was looking more awake and more confused at the same time. "What?"

"I know this is going to sound crazy, but in a few minutes, the Governor is going to call and tell us there's a hostage situation at a 7-11 in Kalihi. We're going to go there and find out that this kid, Troy Akala, is holding a bunch of people hostage because he's pissed at his girlfriend."

Now Danny was starting to look concerned. "You wanna dial that back and start over?"

"Trust me, Danny, I know it sounds nuts, but I've lived this day over a few times now. And that's what's going to happen."

"Then how come I don't remember it?"

Steve swallowed, not wanting to say it out loud. "You, uh...you don't...."

He saw the realization dawn on Danny's face. "Oh." Danny scrubbed a hand over his face and through his hair. "So, um...what happens?"

"Different things go wrong every time. But the result is the same. Every day at 7:14...."

Danny eyed him quietly for a moment. "You know this sounds crazy, right?"

"I said it would."

"So how long have we got before the governor calls?"

"Around 20-30 minutes." 

Danny pressed his lips together. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah. Fill me in on everything that's gone wrong so far before he calls."

Steve could tell Danny wasn't entirely convinced, but at least he was listening. No matter, he'd have no choice but to believe as soon as everything started happening just as Steve said. 

He had just finished telling Danny about the last day when the phone rang. Steve answered it on speaker. "McGarrett."

"Sorry to call you this early, Commander," the Governor said. "But there's a situation developing with hostages in Kalihi and I'd like your team to get there as fast as you can. HPD is sending you the address." 

"We're on our way, sir." Steve put the phone down and looked at Danny. "You ready?"

Danny was looking a little more shell shocked now that he'd heard the call. "No, but I get the feeling I don't have a choice."

"We could just stay here," Steve said.

"And what if someone else gets killed out there instead?" Danny asked. "We just live with that?"

Steve sighed. "No," he said, getting out of bed. "Let's go."

***

By the time they made it to the 7-11, Steve wasn't sure which one of them was more nervous--him or Danny. They were both paying a lot more attention than usual to the scene as they caught up with Chin. 

Steve had already decided Kono's sniper rifle was their best bet, he just had to get everything else to go right. Fortunately, Danny had agreed, just as he'd agreed to stay behind the car, right beside Steve. 

Duke was on his way to coordinate with HPD when Steve heard the car backfire again. Before he knew what had happened, Danny had jumped out to drag Duke to the ground, and Steve was staring at where Danny was piled on top of Duke, not sure whose blood was on the ground.

Akala was neutralized quickly, allowing Steve to scramble over to move Danny off Duke. The source of the blood was obvious then, by the entry wound on Danny's abdomen. 

"Dammit, Danny, you promised!" Steve hissed.

"Couldn't let it be someone else, remember?" Danny's words were thin. "Sorry." Danny coughed. "I wanted to stay....with you." 

His eyes went blank, and Steve let Kono pull him away. 

He checked his watch just to be sure, in case he got yet another day, the 7:14 staring back at him like an epitaph.

***

Steve didn't bother with a list when he got home. He dropped onto the couch with the liquor bottle, going over everything in his mind. He'd tried changing a million things on scene, he'd even warned Danny, and none of it made any difference. Clearly there was something he was missing. 

The memory of Danny's last words made it hard to swallow the whiskey through the lump in Steve's throat. _I wanted to stay with you._

That's what Steve wanted, too. All he'd ever wanted out of Danny, even if he hadn't known it until this nightmare had started. He'd just had trouble believing that Danny wanted it. That Danny had wanted it so badly that it had been his last words. 

Of course, Danny hadn't known those would be his last words. Steve was sure he'd have had more to say about Grace, things he wanted Steve to tell her, but then he'd just...left. The way everyone did. 

But he hadn't wanted to.

Steve sat up, putting the bottle on the table. Danny had wanted to stay. Had no intention of leaving. He hadn't had a choice, in the end, but if he'd had one, he'd have stayed. With Steve.

Maybe it wasn't about getting Danny to change his behavior. Maybe it was about Steve changing some of his own.

The one thing he hadn't tried was trusting Danny. Not with his life--he'd trusted Danny with that the first day he'd met him. And not even with his secrets--he'd trusted Danny with those for years, too. 

But not with his heart.

Which sounded like a cheesy novel, but then, so did his own personal hell of a Groundhog Day experience, and here he was.

The look on Danny's face a handful of times over the different iterations of the day came back to Steve, suddenly making sense. Danny had been worried Steve was freaking out that Danny had spent the night. And he'd wanted to say something, but he clearly had been worried about Steve's reaction, Steve was sure of it now. 

Maybe all he had to do was tell Danny he wanted him to stay.

It sounded so easy, but Steve would almost rather take Danny's bullet himself than say something like that outright. What if it wasn't what Danny wanted? 

_I wanted to stay with you._

The message couldn't have been any clearer. Steve just needed to trust it. 

***


	6. Chapter 6

Steve went from dozing on the couch to wide awake in his bed. The clock was glowing with its usual 5:41, and Steve hoped that after today he didn't have to see that again, for all the right reasons. 

He turned onto his side to see Danny lying there, sleeping, blissfully unaware of the pounding of Steve's heart at the thought of what he was about to do.

Of course, he was also blissfully aware of what might happen if Steve didn't do this. 

_It might happen anyway,_ a voice in the back of his head said. He told it to fuck off. This had to be it, this had to be what he'd been meant to learn from all this mess. If it wasn't he was out of options, and possibly out of time.

That thought was enough to spur him on, and he slid closer to Danny, sliding a leg between both of Danny's and leaning in to wake him with a kiss. Danny's body reacted instantly, pressing against Steve, dick filling against Steve's leg. But it took Danny a moment to open his eyes.

He blinked sleepily at Steve for a few seconds before that furrow marred his brow. "Sorry," Danny said, looking a little guarded, but not moving away. "Must've fallen asleep."

"I'm glad you did," Steve said.

Danny went from guarded to surprised. "You are?"

Steve nodded. "Saved me from coming to find you to tell you something."

The combination of surprise and confusion on Danny's face would've been more adorable if Steve hadn't still had butterflies the size of jets in his stomach. "Oh?" Danny asked.

"Yeah." Steve cleared his throat, forcing himself to meet Danny's eyes. "Look, Danny...we've been dancing around this...thing between us for a while." Steve wondered if he was having an allergic reaction to something, because he was finding it hard to get a deep breath in. "I...there's something I...."

"Steven," Danny said softly. "I'm not a fifteen-year-old girl. I don't need words, okay?"

 _That's what you think._ "Maybe I need them," Steve said. "Did you think about that?"

"Yeah, because you're all about talking about your feelings," Danny said, a hint of a smile on his face. 

"Shut up," Steve said, smiling himself. "I'm trying to make a declaration here, and you're ruining it."

Danny laughed. "What kind of declaration would it be between us if I wasn't interrupting it to give you shit?"

"Danny."

"Sorry. Please. Go ahead, Steven."

Danny schooled his features, but Steve could see the light in his eyes, and it gave him the confidence to get the words out. "I know we haven't been talking about...this." He waved a hand over both of them. "We just...it just happens, and then we...go," Steve said. "But I was thinking, maybe, it might be nice if we kind of...stayed."

Danny blinked at him a few times. "Okay, was that an actual attempt at a sentence, or are you just throwing words together and hoping they make sense?"

"I'm trying to make some kind of romantic declaration here, and you're going to throw my own words at me?"

"I wouldn't if you'd actually _make_ a declaration, babe."

The words were warm, as was Danny's smile, and his body as it pressed a little closer. "Stay, Danny. I want you to stay."

"Stay where? In Hawaii? Because I thought we'd established I was doing that."

Of course he was going to make this hard. "Here. With me. At my house. As long as you want."

Danny seemed to consider that for a second. "I'm probably going to have to leave eventually. My boss is a hard ass. He might fire me."

"I think I can put in a good word with him."

"Well, if you're going to go to bat for me with my boss, clearly I must mean something to you," Danny teased.

Steve got it then. "I love you, Danny," he said, the words a lot easier than he'd expected them to be. 

"So you've said a few times."

"No." Steve pulled Danny even closer, their lips an inch apart. "I _love_ you."

Danny's eyes were blurry this close, but Steve could still see the last of his apprehension drain away. "Oh. Well, in that case...I suppose I could stay a while."

Steve closed the gap between their lips for a kiss, pushing Danny onto his back, his hands drifting down between their bodies. He was just reaching between them when his phone rang.

Steve rolled onto his back and took a deep breath before grabbing the phone. He told the Governor they were on their way and hung up. "We have to go," Steve said, giving Danny one more kiss before he started to roll out of bed.

Danny grabbed Steve's arm and pulled him back until they were facing each other again. "Hey," Danny said, his smile warming Steve to his core, "I love you, too."

Steve gave him a lopsided grin. "I know."

Danny rolled his eyes and pushed Steve towards the side of the bed. "Let's get this over with so we can get back here and finish this...discussion."

Steve got dressed, hoping like hell he'd changed enough that they'd get that chance.

***

They pulled up to the lot across from the 7-11. Steve stopped the car, but put a hand on Danny's wrist before he could get out. "One thing," Steve said, still having no idea quite how to say this, even though he'd thought about it the whole drive. "Stay with me out here, okay? Keep your eyes open, and whatever you do, just...don't let yourself get...hurt. All right?"

Danny's lips pressed together for a second. "Look, you can't protect me all the time just because we're...us." 

"That's not it. No, Danny," Steve said, when he could tell Danny wasn't buying it, "I swear, that's not it. You just...you have to trust me, okay? Just be extra careful."

It felt almost silly, asking Danny to trust him. As if he'd ever done anything but. Still, for all that Steve had trusted Danny with almost everything since day one, it had taken him all this to trust him with the part of him most easily damaged. Maybe Danny was having similar issues. 

"Trust you, huh?"

The words were soft, and so was Danny's expression. "Just don't be a hero, all right?" Steve said. 

"Why should I? That's what I keep you around for."

Steve rolled his eyes and got out of the car. 

He went through the basic conversation by rote, choosing to go with Kono's sniper rifle. He liked the distance, and it had felt right before. He had Duke coordinate with HPD again, and kept Danny behind the car, quelling him with a look when Danny started to argue. 

He had a feeling they'd have an argument later about Steve getting over-protective, but he wouldn't. Not every day. Just this one. Danny would calm down about it soon enough.

Steve tensed as he heard the car backfire. He saw Danny running, and cursed, going after him, both of them landing in a heap on top of Duke, who'd Danny had been trying to cover. 

"Danny!" Steve said, rolling off and looking around them. 

He spotted blood on Danny's shirt, only realizing after a moment of heart-stopping panic that it was on Danny's sleeve. "You're hit!" Steve said, checking out Danny's torso, which was remarkably bullet free, before going back to the wound on his arm. 

Danny was checking out Duke, who was thankfully unharmed. "It's a scratch," Danny said, nodding towards his own arm. "It'll be fine."

Steve checked his watch. 7:13. "You could've been killed," he said, looking around for any sign that something else was going to happen, something that would take Danny's life.

"I'm tougher than I look babe."

 _Tell that to someone who hasn't spent a number of days watching you die over and over._ "Yeah, yeah," Steve said, eye on his watch, as it turned to 7:14. He glanced at Danny again. Still breathing. "If you're so tough how come we're always having to get you patched up?"

"Because of the high number of bullets aimed at me since I partnered up with you."

Steve laughed. He didn't doubt that--their more high-profile cases did seem to come with a rather large ammunition count on both sides. "Yeah, well," Steve said, meeting Danny's eyes, wondering if they looked anywhere near as goofy as he felt right about then. "You're stuck with me, so you'll have to learn how to deal with it."

"I think I can deal," Danny said. 

Steve checked his watch again, holding his breath as it slid over to 7:15.

He let out a long breath. "Come on," he said, pulling Danny to his feet. "Let's get you patched up," Steve said, listening as Danny bitched all the way. 

Steve loved every second of it.

\---  
END

**Author's Note:**

> Want to learn more about me and my writing? Visit my page at <http://www.jamiemeadowswrites.com/>


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